Source: "Dictionary of Misconceptions", pp.122-123

"ETHNIC ALBANIANS ARE DEPRIVED OF THE RIGHT TO
EDUCATION IN THER NATIVE LANGUAGE"

The minorities, including the ethnic-Albanians, which make up less than a fifth of the total population of the Republic of Serbia, are not in the least hindered in receiving education in their own languages. On the contrary, a whole system of education in the native language has been developed, covering everything from kindergartens to postgraduate studies. Such system has been developed for forty years by the former Yugoslavia and the Republic of Serbia, including the provision of up to 99 percent of necessary funds and specialist assistance, especially from the Belgrade University. Of course, such a system is still existent nowdays and it is always open to all ethnic Albanians, though naturally, on the condition that since a state-run education system is involved, they abide to laws and to the prescribed extent also of the carriculum which must apply to all in Serbia (since that provides for unity on the one hand, and for functionality of the education system, on the other).
   
Therefore, ethnic Albanians are in no way deprived in their right to education or in the use of their native languages, since they can go through their entire education, from kindergarten to university, exclusively in the Albanian languge, should they wish to do so. In addition, the "single" teaching carricula and programmes, under which all students are educated in Serbia, irrespective of ethnic affiliation, should by no means be seen as programmes similar in every respect. Often even more than a third of the carricula is suited to the needs of minorities, while some subjects (Albanian language and literature, sociology, fine arts and music) are geared wholly to the culture and national identity of ethnic Albanians.

Scientists, artists or educationalists from the ranks of the Albanian minority (as well as from other minorities) may, and they always invited to make suggestions and take part in preparation of the carricula and programmes, but they (ethnic Albanians) don't want to do so for purely political reasons. Incidently, university programmes may be adopted independently by the departments, without any state interference. Before they left the Pristina University, ethnic Albanian teacers and students actually accounted for almost two thirds of the total number of teachers and students of this university, while as far as their rights were concerned, nothing has changed after the year 1990. That is why not a single reason exist for claiming that this minority has been deprived of their rights. Moreover, even when in 1991 the number of newly enroled students to courses in the Serbian language was increased by a thousand, there were still more than 2,200 vacancies left for the potential students in the Albanian language! [M.I.]

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